Hi, Everyone -
It's been a while since I've posted anything, and that's because I've been very involved in work for the Cabot Historical Society - very exciting stuff - copying, storing and indexing old newspaper clippings. It's mostly obits, with some really interesting news items from years past, mostly forgotten now. I've finished a couple batches from 1917 to about 1960 found stuffed in manila envelopes; then I added my own collection, so now I have over 200 safely in albums for researchers to use. This afternoon I started going through old newspapers from as early as 1882; there are others dating in the late 1860's I haven't gone through yet. These I scan and try not to damage further the already frail and tattered old papers. I was startled at how large the news sheets are. The measure 42 inches wide (fully opened) and 30 inches high. Those old printing presses were gigantic, I guess.

Doing this work leaves me more impressed than ever with the work done by Stuart and Anne Smith of Walden published in 2001. They recorded vital statistics from issues of The Caledonian
published in St. Johnsbury starting in 1860 and ending in 1915 - 16 volumes in all. What an undertaking! The books are available from them, I believe. We have a nearly complete set at the Cabot Historical Society, and I expect local libraries also have them.

We walked earlier this week and Fred took some pictures. Somehow we never tire of the view of the pond, from whatever vantage point. It's a lovely, peaceful place - well, most of the time, anyway. I heard gun shots a few days ago, and night before last a riderless horse went galloping up W. Shore Road; then there are the early morning birds, which I love to hear, but lately we've had a family of pesky woodpeckers attacking a bird house and a dead maple tree just outside our bedroom windows. They arrive around 6 a.m. every morning.

This is a picture of the sky late this afternoon - there were some rumbles of thunder, but no storm developed. Unfortunately, the next few days are forecast to have rain. There are lots of activities planned for the weekend - The JPA Italian Dinner tomorrow, also the VINS gathering at Loon Cove on Sandy Beach Rd., plus I think I saw that Barre has a celebration going on and I believe St. Johnsbury does, as well. I hope everyone finds something fun and interesting to do over the weekend - and then, when most folks have to go back to work the weather will clear . . .